ArcherPoint upgrade services

Perfecting the science of upgrading Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Navision

Looking to upgrade?

When business owners and management consider the possibility of upgrading, unpleasant thoughts often come to mind: Upgrading is complicated, will cost money, will interrupt operations, and could even make things worse. We believe upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) should be a non-event—and we’ve proven it more than 100 times in the last five years alone. If you’re considering an upgrade but are concerned that it will not be worthwhile, or if you think your Dynamics NAV or Navision solution can’t be upgraded, we’d like to put those concerns to rest so you can make an informed decision about upgrading and start taking advantage of what today’s Dynamics NAV has to offer.

Exposing the myths about upgrading

As you’re thinking about whether or not you should upgrade, there are some common misunderstandings about upgrading that you need to be aware of:

My NAV database is too customized – Customizations should have little to nothing to do with upgrading if it is done correctly and with the right tools. With the right tools and plan in place, your customizations will move smoothly over to your new version of Dynamics NAV—no loss of the time, effort, and money you have put into getting your NAV solution to fit the way you do business.

My version of NAV is too old to upgrade – If you have qualified, experienced people working with you, no version of NAV or Navision is too old to upgrade. Like any upgrade, the plan will address the unique characteristics of the version you are currently on.

Upgrades are just like any other Dynamics NAV development project – Upgrades are different from other development projects in nearly every way. The requirements, methodology, tools, and the professionals who plan and execute them should be tailored to the single goal of a successful upgrade.

Any NAV Developer can do upgrades - This is probably the single biggest reason that many NAV upgrades take too long, cost too much, and result in serious post go-live issues. It takes individuals who are experienced and qualified in upgrade processes to plan and implement an upgrade smoothly.

It’s better to do upgrades by hand instead of using upgrade tools - A well-executed upgrade for NAV should be largely automated and rely as much as possible on the Microsoft supplied upgrade tools. It is impossible for a developer to review millions of lines of code by hand and hope that human error and fatigue doesn’t play a major factor in the resulting upgrade.

I need the person who did my customizations to do my upgrade – The talent and experience needed for a successful upgrade are not the same as those required to do customizations in Dynamics NAV. It is more important to work with someone who knows upgrades so that your customizations will be preserved when you move to your new NAV solution.

ArcherPoint knows upgrades

Ultimately, the success of an upgrade depends on the partner you choose. An upgrade partner should not treat upgrades as a “part-time job;” they should have a dedicated team with the experience of doing a large number of upgrades to draw from, a deep understanding of the tools needed, and a proven methodology. At ArcherPoint, we take pride in our excellent reputation for smooth execution of upgrades, regardless of industry or complexity. Our upgrade teams are specially staffed according to the needs of your organization to coordinate and manage your NAV or Navision upgrade from start to completion. We also include key employees from your organization to ensure clear communication and efficient collaboration. Our carefully designed upgrade methodology utilizes the Microsoft Upgrade Toolkit, the Microsoft Data Conversion/Migration tool, other code comparison tools, and proven practices and procedures.

Why upgrade?

Upgrading is one of the best investments you’ll ever make. Done right, an upgrade can bring real business value. When you upgrade, you can take advantage of new features, platform, and fixes to previous versions. Upgrading also helps you stay in compliance, increase productivity with more advanced software technology, improve visibility, protect your data, and grow and expand your business. The result: lower costs, more opportunities, and a more competitive position.

NAVUG™ magazine spoke with ArcherPoint CEO Greg Kaupp along with other experts to discuss upgrading to NAV 2013. Find out what you need to consider to make your next upgrade a success…and to keep your team talking to each other afterwards. Read the article.